Cursed Sleep and Deep Night
by Q Jackson
Summary: UPDATE: Ch. 5: What's it like working in the palace library? Some of Monica's problems, and a new friend (whom we all know and love )
1. The Run

Disclaimer: Of course I don't own any thing that's Mercedes' only Chris and Monica for now until I develop more characters.

Author's Rant: This is story that I just had to write one day, and it takes place sometime in the second book of the Last Herald Mage trilogy, when Vanyel is visiting his family and his father. Since I don't have the books with me right now, this mostly from memory, so if I get some things wrong just think of it as a AU type fic. 

Basically for some background information, Chris and Monica's mom was had an arranged marriage to this guy who her parents liked because he was rich and handsome. Underneath his pretty face though he was anything BUT nice, he was an abusive husband and a drunk who slept around. The classic sob story. Except their mother went crazy after the twins turned about 12 and this story takes place when they're about 14, and desperate.  

P.S. They ARE in the real world in the beginning but at some point in the forest they get warped around to the Valdemar world.   

Chapter 1

Her mother's screams echoed through empty, haunted halls and Monica cringed from the sound. Chris put his hand on hers, knuckles white as ice. She knew he could only give her the comfort of his presence. Still, she attempted a smile for him, but it faltered. As she caught his eye looking for hope, Monica found the promise of escape, the promise that together they could make it out of this hellhole. His mouth was set in a tight line of fury and she could feel that to raise his ire now would mean unthinkable pain to the one fool enough to do so. She had never once seen him like this. His normally kind expression was full of anguish. Anguish for his mother and for her, his twin sister Monica, who sat hunkered against the shadow filled wall of their plain and unadorned bedroom, with knees curled to her chest. He thought nothing of himself and to that day couldn't reason why he waited as long as he did to run. 

Chris moved to a crouch from his seat on the ground as he stretched tense muscles, held in one position for too long.  He made his way silently to his single bed, and reached under the lumpy mattress, which rested heavily on the floor. What he pulled out was a large bundle of money wrapped in cloth, folded and crumpled. Monica let out a gasp of surprise.

"Chris, what-.."

 He only smiled grimly as he quickly made his way back through the dark to the dresser they shared. "I've been saving," he said and heaved the second hand breakfront toward him to reveal a door, cut from the wall. "For a special occasion, such as this."

Monica shivered as a sharp winter breeze cut through her light nightgown, coming from outside the open makeshift panel that would serve them only this once. Although surprised she shook her head and argued defiantly, despite her brother's anxious need to leave before their father tired of his "games." 

"Chris, this is insane. It's winter, where will we go? We'll freeze to death if we don't starve first." She shook with nervous energy. 

 He begged her to understand. "Monica, we don't have a choice!_ I_ don't have a choice, I'll go insane if I stay here any longer!" Monica put the palms of her hands against her blue eyes and choked on her angry sobs.

"This is all about you then is it?" Her muffled voice wavered. 

"No-!" He cried, but she cut him off.

"What will happen to us Christian? Will I become a whore to pay for our food when the money runs out? Will you? We could never survive." 

"Monica, please!" He said, hurt, "Never! I would never let that happen to either of us!" He took her by the arms and pulled her gently but firmly to the door in the wall. "Trust me," he pleaded and seeing no other way out she finally gave in, letting him lead her out into the night, the bitterly cold night. 

* * *

Monica ran. She ran as fast as her bare feet would carry her, her every will bent on getting away. She could hear her brother's quick breathing in front of her although she didn't see him. They ran through the woods behind their old home trying to put as much distance between themselves and their father as possible. The trees seemed more menacing then Monica remembered them and the forest gave the impression of swallowing light like a black hole. High on adrenaline she barely felt the cold and didn't register the pine needles and pinecones beneath her feet. Soon though, her breath became raspy, and she had to slow down. When she stopped and leaned over, like a bent old woman with hands on her knees, Chris was nowhere in sight. Had he left her behind? Fear crept into her, as she looked up uncomprehending. Monica didn't recognize anything in this forest. Although she had grown up playing in these woods she was lost completely and utterly. She was also alone.

* * *

Feet pounding soundlessly on the forest floor, Chris felt like he had been running forever. Hours it seemed since he left the place he had once called home, for hours it felt like he had been aimlessly wandering. Then with a dread that seized him and made him stop, Chris realized Monica was no longer with him. Sweat pouring down his face, he looked wildly around for some sign of her. He couldn't see anything past the closest trees; everything else was drenched in deep shadows. He called out her name, and something inside him was pleased that his voice did not shake although he was shivering all over. 

"Monica!" He tried again as panic began to take him. "Monica! Monica! Where are you?!"  Suddenly the woods no longer felt so familiar, and he backed up against a tree. This time _he_ cupped his head in his hands and shook with silent tears. He had lost her, and it was all _his _fault. If he had been paying attention this would not have happened. 

Maybe they would die after all. 

He was alone. 

And completely lost. 

* * *

Using a sharp rock to put a ragged cut in the bark of the trees, Monica felt her way from trunk to trunk, directionless, with no idea where she was headed or even if it mattered anymore. With throat parched from excitement and nerves, she continued if only to give her hands something to do. The temperature seemed to rise as the night wore on, instead of lowering as one might expect and after awhile Monica ceased to shake and only felt the exhaustion that comes after excitement wears off. When she reached a small stream trailing through the forest, now slightly lightened with false dawn, she stopped and sat-almost fell-down.

Cupping her hands she drank the cool water, finding some relief from her thirst. Looking up, she realized the stars where starting to fade and it lightened her spirits. Surely Chris was fine; he was her twin and if she could survive the night than so could he. Picking up her dashed hopes of escape she stood, feeling the ache of her over stressed legs. Soon she started to pick her way down stream, following natures trail. _If I keep following this stream _something_ will have to happen,_ she thought half-heartedly, brushing pale hair away from her face. 

Monica was scratched and bleeding from various branches and thorn bushes by the time she reached a dusty road, cutting through the forest from north to south, stretching beyond her sight around a sharp corner. She felt relived to have found a road, but as Monica's stomach growled she felt as tired as she had been back along the stream, only hungry as well. Sighing she went south hoping it wouldn't lead her farther from civilization instead of closer.  

Slowly false dawn turned into real dawn and dawn turned into late morning as Monica trudged along slowly, worn-out and drained. As the sun rose, clouds covered the sky with surprising speed and she sensed rain in the distance. She tried to hurry her pace but it was hard to urge herself to reach an unknown destination. Without warning, rain poured down, sheets of it soaking her in and plastering her nightgown to her skin. Soon thunder clapped and lightning lit the now dark sky and Monica was running, just running and hoping to find a refuge from the rain.

A light in the distance caught her eye and she saw looming before her a mansion that sat squat and military like, surrounded by grass lawns and pastures. When she reached the gate that crossed the road a guard stopped her. The guard looked fairly annoyed at be out in the pouring rain and didn't bother to hide it, although he did not dodge his responsibility and duty. Monica was only glad to see someone else after her long and desperate hike, lost in the woods. Mentally exhausted and fatigued, she barely comprehended his words.

"Halt," he said and looked Monica over, noting how much of a mess she was. Seeing her as no danger he grabbed her arm when she felt ready to collapse and he asked her what had happened. When she shook her head and practically keeled over from physical exhaustion he half led half carried her into his shelter and then sent her to the mansion with the guard that was on duty with him. She had very little recollection of what happened shortly after that. She only registered the warm bed she found herself in before drifting into a dreamless sleep.          


	2. Breakfast in Bed

Disclaimer: Well I don't own a damned thing except Monica and Chris. Damn. 

A/R: Here we are, second chapter, and nothing real exciting happens, but that's okay because things are building up. Just go along with me for now, and things should pick up after awhile.  

Chapter 2

Monica stirred to the sound of birds chirping outside in the afternoon sunshine. The thick stream of light across her face was what woke her. The presence of rain had all but vanished from the sky, for now it was a cheery blue with plump little clouds scattered here and there. There was a cold, wet rag on her forehead so she reached up with a hand and removed it. She sat up gingerly, waiting for the world to stop spinning. A glance told her she was alone in the room, which was nicely furnished if not modestly, with the sense of being vacant and unused much of the time. The next thing she noticed was a change of clothing, which lay at the foot of the bed freshly pressed and clean, if not oddly fashioned.

 _They must take their hospitality very seriously to let in a half starved drowned rat and give her a comfortable bed and (_silk!_) clothing._ _And am I complaining? Not in a lifetime! I haven't felt this well rested in months!_ As Monica was considering giving all her worldly goods to the host/hostess, the door to her temporary bedroom was opened. Then to her surprise and delight Chris walked in, dressed in his own set of clothing which wasn't silk but never the less flattered him. But he looked changed and there was something about him that Monica couldn't quite grasp that was different. 

Grinning sheepishly Chris said, "Hey yearling, what took you so long? I thought you were going to sleep forever!" She only looked at him, and ignored the teasing nickname. 

"Where are we?" she asked hesitantly, and he put a hand through his rough brown hair. Although they were twins they looked nothing alike. She had strait blond hair, pale transparent looking skin, blue eyes and a delicate bone structure, while Chris had dark brown hair, deep green eyes and a rugged look that made him seem self-possessed and assertive, despite the fact that he was usually kind and had a soft heart; or as they say in Japanese, kokoro ga ii desu. 

"Well, technically I know _where_ we are, if you want a name that is. But as for the location," He waved his hands in front of him with the same feeling as a shrug, "I have no idea where we are." Monica gave a sigh though not in the mood to be disagreeable. Chris went on, "If you want to know, I came up here to, a,) see how you're doing and, b,) ask if you felt hungry. Because if you're hungry, the food here is excellent." Suddenly, as she was acutely aware of how much her stomach was protesting, Monica nodded vigorously. 

"Yes, yes! Show me the food, and I'll love you forever!" She cried. Chris laughed and said, "That's what I thought. I'll let you change then and if you want anything, I'll be right out here." With that he closed the door, giving her privacy. 

Strange how quickly attitudes can change. Monica felt like she had experienced every possible emotion all in one day, from anguish, to fear, to hopelessness, to contentment. It was strange, but it gave her a very mature feeling, and she liked it. Nevertheless she _certainly_,by no means wanted to relive the experience again. 

Standing up, she stripped off her warm covers and after doing away with her old ruined undergarments, picked up her new ones, which were on the top of the pile and put them on. Next, eyeing the rest of her foreign clothing, proceeded to hold up the blouse. It was light blue and made of silk, which made her boyish looking curves seem more feminine. She put it on happily. The skirt was light brown-almost tan, and was made a bleached fabric, close to the texture of jean, but softer with embroidery running down the seam. All and all she liked the selection, and thought that who ever picked it out must have very good taste to find complimenting outfits for her and her brother that actually looked _respectable_ on them. 

 Looking in the mirror that hung above a dark wood dresser, she admired herself and smiled. But the smile faltered. Leaning forward, she took a closer look at herself. She had aged! Monica no longer had a fourteen year olds body; it was more like the figure of a twenty year old. Her hair had grown, and so had her feet she noted looking down. Her face was longer, and all remaining baby fat had disappeared. She started, absolutely at loss of words. So that was what made Chris look so different!

* * *

On the other side of the door Chris twiddled his thumbs, absently, waiting for his twin to change so they could eat. He was saving his lunch so they could have it together, even though he was warned it might be cold by then. Still he didn't mind, since it pleased him that he was able to have it at all. 

_: Did you think they wouldn't give you something to eat? : _A voice in his head made him jump in surprise. 

"Jesus, don't _do_ that!" he swore, and then felt a little ashamed at doing so. 

Kyril chuckled softly, _: Try speaking to me through your mind next time, and it might save you some embarrassment.:_

Chris flushed. _: You're right you know,: _he thought at her, _: I'm just a little confused by this, and not very used to it either.: _

_: I know,: _ she replied gently, _: But when you get over the initial shock of _ _being Chosen, things should mellow out a bit, and you'll find it very useful in some cases.: _He did not ask exactly _why_ it would be useful, but simply nodded, as a figure entered the hall from the end of corridor to his left who he didn't recognize. The man was not here for room service or helping hands, because he was dressed very nicely and held an elegant sort of air about him, though his posture was made him seem tired and tense. He was lean, almost gaunt Chris was startled to note, and had beautiful black long hair and a pretty face. There was something in this man's pale gray eyes that was lonely and Chris could almost relate. After all with no home and no family except his sister, well, that was pretty pathetic. 

Chris turned and knocked on his sister's door. After no reply he tapped again. "Oi," he called, "You still alive in there?"  After still no answer he turned the knob, and peeked inside. 

"Hey, Moni-" was all he said before getting a face full of pillow. 

"Pervert!" 

Chris gapped, then shook his head in disbelief and retorted, "I'm your brother, not to mention _twin_, thank very much. I've seen you naked plenty of times when we were young, so there's certainly nothing to surprise _me_!" Monica stuck her head out the door with a humph, and was about to say something in return. But that was when she saw the well-dressed stranger with a slightly bemused expression. Instead of returning the insult like she was planning to, she flushed and glared at Chris who shrugged. 

"Er, Hello," She tried to salvage what was left of the ruined introduction. The man smiled. It was nice smile, Chris thought amusedly, aware that Monica would probably kill him if he tried to flirt with the man. He hid a chuckle. _My sisters star struck,_ he thought, _that's so perfect._

_: She's not the only one.: _

_: Quiet.:_

Chris Shook head slightly, as if to order his thoughts. He couldn't help but smile back when, Vanyel as he introduced himself, greeted them. 

"So, I take it you're feeling comfortable here?" Vanyel asked formally. Monica nodded, standing next Chris with hands folded in front of her very nicely. Just in spite of her he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall smugly. 

"Very," she said gratefully, "we thought we was going to die last night." Chris scoffed teasingly and said, "Speak for yourself yearling, _I_ always new things were going to work out." 

She rolled her eyes, "Liar."

"Yep."

* * *

Vanyel watched them bicker with a sort of longing for the relationship they had. As siblings they looked very close, something he had never really been to any of his brothers or sisters. Suddenly he felt a protest from his stomach and realized he should have had lunch a little while ago. 

"I think I'll leave you two for now, seeing as I haven't had any lunch yet," Vanyel commented and watched the pale girl turn from her brother with surprise.

"Well," she said, "We haven't had any lunch either. Do you know where we could find some?" Vanyel nodded, "Sure follow me," and lead the way, hearing Chris protest half-heartedly.

"_I _know where the kitchen is you know."  

    


	3. Explanations well sort of

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own anything that's M.L.'s 

A/R: Thank you for your patience while waiting for me to update this fic. Some things will be explained in this part, but not all so bear with me some more. I am making a goal to update this thing once or twice a week, and since Swift Shadows is around to bug me about it, you can be sure to get _something_ out of that promise!

Also: Aura Kage: Like I said before, this story takes place chronologically between books one and two of The Last Herald Mage trilogy, on one of those short visits home that Van describes in Magic's Promise…. By the way, I think I might include Liss somewhere along the line if I want. 

Chapter Four 

Charis knocked on the hollow wooden door of the twins' house, announcing her presence. The place that was so familiar in its stench of her former husband and the life she left behind remained eerily silent. The rap-rap of her knuckles sounded exceedingly loud in the quiet night, and she couldn't help feeling that it was wrong to disturb the peace. Normally Charis would not have come back here, not to the place that made her feel uneasy and sick inside, even though with a thought she could, if she chose, level the entire property and the beast of a man within it. Given, the idea was tempting but that was not why she was here. She was here to claim her children. Afterwards, though, that held possibilities. Dismissing her fantasies when there was no answer to the knocks, Charis rang the doorbell once, then twice more in annoyance. Still silence. 

_Perhaps he is ignoring me_, Charis thought angrily, letting emotions get the better of her. _He has no power over me anymore! _Not_ any longer, not when I've finished my training. I refuse to play his games.  If he will insist on being rude then I'll give him an eye for an eye. He deserves it._ With that in mind she found no reason to restrain herself from entering by force. Focusing her strength she delivered a kick with enough force to hear the hinges complain loudly as the cheap door split down the middle. Another strike finished the job. _Breaking and entering into my own house. The things that change._

 Stepping over the debris, Charis made her way in, taking notice of the silence that surrounded her. A quick check told her she was alone in the building and that worried her. Harold's car was in the front, and she didn't credit him to walking anywhere, especially so far out in the woods. Making her way into the shabby living room she was not surprised to find that the man had seemingly gambled his inheritance money away, and left him and the children in a dump. Raging wordlessly she cursed at the state she had left Chris and Monica in. Charis promised then to be a real mother to them, reminded of her desertion when she stepped over the unconscious puppet she had left in her place long ago. 

Pretending to go mad, she created the illusion to cover for her, so that no one could suspect her disappearance when she finally left to complete the rest of her Training. And it was still here, on the floor and looking as much like her as it had the day she conjured it. But there was no need for a puppet now. Sighing she reached down and dispelled the magic, watching her old spell shimmer away.    

Charis was a mage, third degree as she was pleased to say. Unlike many Talented, her power only manifested a couple of years ago at the age of twenty-six. And what was still more unusual, her teachers claimed, was that it matured at an incredible speed, allowing her to complete complicated spells that took years to acquire the control for when normal mages entered the Training like she did. Having graduated recently, when her personal mentor told her she had learned all she could that would not be acquired in experience, she immediately took off intending to destroy her old ghosts. Ghosts like Harold, ghosts like her over-bearing parents. And so now she was here to take back her children, no matter if she had to kill him to get them. She would gladly.  

Making her way to the bedroom the twins had shared, Charis switched on the hall-light and watched the aged light bulb flicker to life. Failing to see how so much money could disappear as quickly as Harold's had, she felt her disgust for the man raise. Reaching the end of the corridor and entering the black, lightless room, she reached in past the door and flicked up the near by light-switch. The florescent lamp immediately came to life, revealing an empty room, like she predicted. There was something in it that caught her attention though, an abused looking dresser pulled away from the wall. Circling it she saw from a different angle that there was a roughly carved hole leading outside and a discarded panel that must have covered it. 

_They ran away! Good God, I didn't think it was _that_ bad. Now it will be even harder to find them and I'm _no_ good at tracking…. So magic will have to serve the purpose, although I didn't want to drain myself so early. I just hope they aren't far. _Sitting on the floor for comfort, she reached her hands out, and focused inwardly. 

* * *

Chris sat down on the bench that lay on a secretly hidden porch, enjoying the outdoors and cool breezes. His sister took a seat next to him and Vanyel leaned against the railing across from them. After getting their food from the kitchen all three of them decided they would rather eat privately and not with the servants that were taking their lunch at the same time. So Vanyel showed them this little-used hideaway. It was private enough to count on being left alone, but still had a fair view of the keep land and a good position to hear the birds from. Monica ate hastily, not bothering with small talk because she was so hungry. Chris merely picked at his food, having lost his appetite when he started brooding about what was really going to happen to them after their welcome here had worn out. _He_ would go to Haven, Kyril told had him that before, but Monica had no-where to stay after this. 

So Chris sat and twirled his noodles around his fork, staring at the plate and spacing while his mind went around in dead end circles, trying to figure our what to do. But there was nothing he could think of, because while he enjoyed being in this place, he realized that he knew next to nothing about it.   

"So, tell me about what happened when you were Chosen," Monica asked Chris when she stopped for breath of air, "You never explained that." 

Chris temporary halted from his lunch at the request and paused before answering. Vanyel looked up in surprise.

"I didn't know you were Chosen," he said, "Although I might have guessed, since you seem to gaze at nothing often enough. Like you were talking to someone, right?" Chris nodded, take aback that Vanyel seemed to know these things. 

"How did you guess?" 

Vanyel chuckled. "I _am _a Herald you know, I do have a companion myself." 

Chris felt himself blush, embarrassed. "Oh, course."  He still was looking at his feet when Monica elbowed him in the side. 

"You still haven't told your story, silly," she reminded him. 

He smiled at her and smoothed his hair back, as it was becoming a nervous habit of his. 

"Right, sorry. Well, if you don't know yet, her name is Kyril… My Companion I mean. She's really nice of course, but she frightened the pants off me last night, or morning, which ever, when she practically ran me down in the fields over there," he pointed past Vanyel, vaguely identifying the pastures out yonder. "I mean, so there I was standing lost in the middle of a strange forest when it started raining. I had been walking aimlessly for a while and, quite frankly, was coming to the end of my rope if you take my meaning. I had no idea where I was and was completely and utterly exhausted. So then I feel this prickling in the back of my mind. Since I was already slightly panicked, and I couldn't tell if I was making up the sensation or not, I though I was going made. Then I see this flash of white, just outside my line of sight. I had no idea what it was, so you can imagine my reaction. I lost my nerve. I started running, just running really with no direction in mind, but I can guess that Kyril was herding me in this direction, towards here." Chris stopped for a moment to make sure that his audience was still following. When they both nodded their heads to reassure him, he continued. 

"I just kept seeing these flashes of white, always behind or beside of me, driving me forward. At one point I turned around, and thought I saw a shape that looked like a horse, just before it disappeared again. An then I tripped over the fence out there," he made a vague gesture to indicate where had he pointed before. "I wasn't concentrating at all on what was ahead of me, and I was going fairly fast, so I actually flipped over it. Lying dazed on the ground, I finally came around to see this pair of big, blue eyes staring at me, right close to my face. And the feeling, I can't describe it; it was almost as if I was part of something else, or that something was a part of me. It was a good feeling. Like nothing I've ever felt before"

Vanyel nodded in understanding, "That's what it's like for all of us. A bonding takes place, a soul and mind melding. It's really something indescribable." 

 Monica sighed jealously. "That sounds wonderful." 

Then it was Chris's turn to sigh, in mock annoyance. "You know what she did then?" he said, "She laughed at me, then snorted and nibbled on my hair." 

_:Beast: _He though at her teasingly. Kyril laughed silently in his head.

_: Monkey: _She thought back.  


	4. Problems Solved

Monica walked into her room, went to the window, and threw the shutters open with a bang. She could see the beautiful day had once again turned an ugly gray, and a fit full breeze swept through the trees, stirring their leaves angrily. It went through her hair and cooled her hot face, although her temper was not at all diminished. She stared out into the eerie forest, glaring at it. Somehow, she couldn't keep herself from blaming the cold and unemotional woods for screwing up her life. However, Monica soon found it an unsatisfactory target for her rage, and sat back on her bed with crossed arms and legs, trying valiantly not to pout like a child.

_Because I'm not a child, am I? I'm not 15 anymore,_ Monica thought, still glowering at the woods outside her window. _Why? What happened to me?_

But the heavens bought her no answer, and neither did the silence that settled over her bedroom. Chris was going to leave, to become a so-called Herald for this country Valdemar. Which meant for the first time she was going to be alone, completely alone; which was something she was in no hurry to be. 

Just below her room was the practice courtyard, where she could hear the clangs of the student's swords, and the gruff shouts of the weapon's master, Jervis. She went back to the open window and looked over the edge, watching the old man drill his poor pupils in the art of fighting until they dragged their feet on the ground and groaned in weariness. 

_What am I going to do? Who's going to take care of me? To everyone else I'm an adult, and don't need looking after. Would I want it?_ After a second she knew she wouldn't. Monica continued to watch the drills with a vague interest. She needed to find some way to make a living, and all the important jobs seemed to require a Gift, whether it was Bardic Gift, Healing Gift or the Gifts that Heralds had; like Chris. What options did she have? She sighed and put her chin in the palm of her hand, leaning against the window seal, and feeling the last of her anger fade off with the dying breeze to be replaced with weariness.  
  
* * *  
  


Two days and two nights since the twins had arrived at Forst Reach, Vanyel welcomed his much missed sister Liss, giving her a quick embrace after she dismounted from her proud gelding. She grinned at him. 

"It's been too long Liss," Vanyel said with genuine feeling, counting the number of years that had past since he last saw her. She gave him another sisterly hug. 

"Don't worry; I'm on leave right now, so we'll have plenty of time to catch up on things."

Unfortunately Vanyel couldn't keep her all to himself, and Liss was swept away to greet the rest of her welcoming committee. Withen kissed her on the cheek and their mother hugged her warmly. Vanyel was very glad to see Liss again; she was a close friend as well as sister and even more importantly might be of some help in solving a little dilemma that was continuing to bother him.

Normally, he'd have been long gone from his crazy family and like the last few visits left within a few days upon arriving. But there was something that was keeping him here. Two something's really: Monica and Chris, the mysterious twins, one Chosen and the other amazingly stubborn. Monica simply refused to leave her brother 


	5. Librarians

Whoo, I got another chapter up! And I don 


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